Local and Global World Studies
Globalization What is globalization? ''' * Globalization is about growing connections between countries on a global scale. * The growth of free markets and free trade. * International communication * movement of people * sharing cultures and customs * world-wide transfer of manpower, goods, capital and information '''Good Points * Globalization is a good phenomenon because we can trade some products freely. * Globalization promotes specialization which means individual countries become experts in certain goods that they are best at producing and exchange them with other countries. * Globalization gives us more choices of goods and services. With more competitors to fight over market share, each company has to constantly improve their goods or services or create more value for their customers. This means products with better quality and sometimes lower prices. * Globalization creates competition which keeps cost down. * Globalization makes an international marriage. The countries become interdependent politically and economically therefore it helps many countries maintain the peace between the countries. *Globalization will improve countries' political links to each other, which results in understanding of each other and helping the economical, social and cultural growth in the countries. *The influence of other cultures as a result of globalization is a positive thing. Bad Points ''' * Globalization is a kind of exploitation (exploitation of poor workers and child labor in developing countries) * Critics argue that globalization is a form of bullying. * Mass production by big companies causes undercutting: Selling their products at much lower price makes local businesses unable to compete with them. * Cultural erosion: The adoption of foreign cultures inevitably leads to a loss of national identity. * We could lose our own culture because of Globalization. * Deteriorating security might happen. * People might be infected by new viruses which come from other countries. * Environmental destruction may happen by accepting immigration; it causes overpopulation in the nation. * Globalization promotes unfairness between developing countries and developed countries. *Globalization results in undercutting local companies where they can't produce a lot; therefore, it drives them out of business. *Globalisation will create a gap between rich and poor. *Some areas or the earth are still suffering on the terrorism (from the Middle East), poverty and famine ( mostly Africa or in Communism country because of the policy failure), religion or ideology (between close countries) or dictatorship(N.Korea,Sudan,Cuba). Globalization is not the solution of all of them now. '''Other useful information In Class " 'Shaking hands on free trade' by realism in the Local and Global World studies Ⅱ (David's Class) " the picture was not looking really fair for every class of social constituent members. Quotes “Every exploitative relationship begins with an initial inequality that makes the taking advantage possible. In exploitative relationship the rich get richer and the poor fall further behind. “- Robert Mayer Images Is Globalization a myth? People who believe in globalization... # Rapid Economic transformation: it is no longer controlled by countries but by major companies. # Communication - the way we communicate and social groups have changed ( you can easily reach people around the world.) # Global Culture - urban areas look the same around the world. # Time and Space - our perceptions of the speed of our lives and the distance between us have changed # Global Polity - traditionally, we support our country, but our perceptions of identity have changed, thinking about other countries as well. # Think globally and act locally- is used for a variety of different meanings. For example, in planning, business and education. However, in most cases, it is used in the context of climate change. # Risk Culture - not only one nation but the world is under threat from terrorism, nuclear bomb and so on. People who believe it is a myth... # Globalization is just another word for capitalism # No historical depth - it is difficult to describe trends while they are happening. # International Economy? - in some countries, there are more rules and laws that protect their own countries from "free" trade compared to the old days which were more free. # National companies are trading internationally # Uneven effects - globalization has influence only on developed countries. # New Imperialism - globalization is about imposing Western values upon other countries with different cultures and values. links http://www.mrglobalization.com/globalisation/252-globalization--origin-of-the-word Political Theories The three main theories # Realism # Liberalism # Marxist Theory Realism * The most dominant theory which has a long tradition in European politics. * The theory emerged after WWII as a response to idealism. * The state needed complete authority for defense. States are greedy an only represent, so violence was sometimes necessary to keep stabilize power inevitable. * Humans are naturally selfish and violent * "The ends (results) justify the means (action)" *According to Rousseau, Man is born free, but he is everywhere in chains. Key Points * The state is important. * Politicians have to calculate what is the best for the states. * The environment around the state is dangerous. * No universal moral principles - it changes depends on time, place, people and context. Realism - statism * The government is legitimate: we vote to choose our own leaders therefore we respect their authority and decision making. * International politics is anarchic which means no central government. Liberalism * It believes that humans are rational beings. * However, it opposes idealism. * Its core ideals stress individualism, human rights, universality, freedom from authority, right to be treated equally under the protection of law and duty to respect and treat others as “ethical subjects” as well as freedom for social action. One particular brand of liberalism, which is known as liberal institutionalism came into prominence after the First World War was the establishment of the League of Nations. * According to Stanley Hoffmann, the essence of Liberalism is self-restraint, compromise, moderation and peace * According to Bentham, It is the greatest good to the greatest number of people which is the measure of right and wrong.(utilitarianism) Liberalism and WWII After WWI was ended, the League of Nations was established as a response to the proposal laid out by the idealistic U.S. President, Woodrow Wilson. However, the League of Nations was a failure by those reasons: * the United States never joined * Other members went to war * The organization virtually had no power: it could not prevent conflicts such as Abyssinia, Manchuria crisis and the Rhineland. As the world witnessed the horror of WWII, the popularity of Liberalism declined, and neo-liberalism emerged * Neo-liberalism →　liberalism + realism(anarchic international orders, but cooperation possible )+promoting free trade * the modern liberalism is the promoter of globalization * It loves huge companies and prefers less power on the government. Marxist theory * Nature of society is unfair; rich people get more rich by hard work of poor people. * Society has always had struggles between different classes. Marxist viewed society as being separated by class. * History was believed to be largely determined by the struggle between the ruling classes and the oppressed classes, which had conflicting interests. If workers could overthrow capitalism, they would be able to build a socialist society in which social classes will still exist but for the first time in human history - the ruling class would be the majority of the population. * The manifestation of Marxist is to let the workers emancipate themselves from the bourgeoisie. *Karl Heinrich Marx and Friedrich Engels create this theory based on their ideology. Key Words Bourgeoisie - refers to people with a certain cultural and financial capital belonging to the middle or upper stratum of the middle class Proletariat - refers to people with a little or no possessions, and sell their labor power for a wage or salary. Other useful information Images Quotes “Karl Marx was right, socialism works, it is just that he had the wrong species” ― Edward O. Wilson, The Ants “The Marxians love of democratic institutions was a stratagem only, a pious fraud for the deception of the masses. Within a socialist community there is no room left for freedom.” ― Ludwig von Mise “Without Revolutionary theory, there can be no Revolutionary Movement.” ― Vladimir Lenin “Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views.” ― William F. Buckley Jr. “Only the dead have seen the end of war” – Plato Links http://www.slideshare.net/a.dekaltchouk/lecture1-realism-and-liberalism-43859211 http://www.e-ir.info/2012/02/19/realism-liberalism-and-the-possibilities-of-peace/ Category:The three main theories